This summer, we had the pleasure of welcoming two milestone year groups back to King’s, as the Class of 1986 celebrated forty years since leaving and the Class of 1996 marked thirty years.

For the Class of 1986, the weekend began with an informal gathering at Poets House before former classmates returned to the Old Palace for brunch and a tour of the school. From the moment they arrived, conversations, laughter and friendships picked up with remarkable ease.

A particular highlight was the traditional search for their commemorative bricks, followed by the delight of finally finding their names among those of generations of Old Eleans.

The Class of 1996 also returned to celebrate their milestone anniversary. Once again, it was striking how quickly the intervening years seemed to fall away as former classmates reconnected, revisited familiar places and reflected on their time at King’s.

Although each reunion had its own character, both were a wonderful reminder that the friendships formed at school can endure for decades. Much at King’s has inevitably evolved, but the warmth of those connections, and so much of what makes our community special, remains unchanged.

Thank you to everyone who travelled back to Ely and helped make both reunions so memorable. If your own year group is approaching a milestone anniversary, the Alumni and Development Office would be delighted to help you bring everyone together.